| How to set up your own tenant screening service! | | | | background screening system in place and run all |
| As we have all found out, the reality of being a | | | | perspective tenants through it before renting. |
| landlord is far from what we imagined when we | | | | Problems are a breeze to handle when you have |
| first bought our investment properties and this is | | | | not signed a lease. Do not even allow the person |
| especially true for those of us who can't afford | | | | to store anything on your property until you have |
| to have our properties managed by an outside | | | | a legal lease in hand. I made this mistake. |
| company. Because the market was so high a | | | | How to screen tenants: The best tenant |
| couple years ago, my wife and I thought that a | | | | screening service |
| piece of rental property would be a nice addition | | | | The best tenant screening service in my opinion is |
| to our retirement portfolio. We could basically get | | | | the one you set up yourself. Other services are |
| a house and have someone else pay for it. | | | | not going to fix their mistakes, but you will |
| Reality bites | | | | definitely pay for their mistakes. Here are the |
| Like a snarling dog the reality of owning a rental | | | | steps to set up your own online tenant screening |
| property came on us when we started looking | | | | service. |
| for clients. Somehow the United States has | | | | - Make a tenant screening form. You can |
| bought into the picture of the big fat greasy Mr. | | | | download these for free off the Internet and |
| Potter as a landlord and Tiny Tim wobbling in the | | | | customize them to fit your situation. Include this |
| icy snow with his crutches as the tenant and | | | | form with your application or make it part of your |
| therefore it does everything in its power to favor | | | | application. |
| the tenant. Well I am hear to tell you that that is | | | | - Go to a background checking website and click |
| a bunch of balderdash! It is more like Fagin and his | | | | on background checks. Sign up for that service it |
| children are the tenants and the landlord is the | | | | usually runs around $10 a month. You can offset |
| hapless chap with his wallet sticking a bit to far | | | | these costs by running background checks for |
| out of his back pocket. If it comes to blows, the | | | | other landlords you know and charging them a |
| tenant can bankrupt you in a hurry. The laws are | | | | fee. |
| stacked against the landlord and it takes a | | | | - Enter the information from your Tenant |
| minimum of 20 days; in some states to up to 3 | | | | screening form into the computer and you will |
| months to evict a non-paying tenant. In the mean | | | | receive a report in seconds. One trick is to ask |
| time you still have to pay the mortgage on the | | | | for information from them that will also show up |
| property and do all of the leg work, pay the legal | | | | in the background check. You can then cross |
| fees and go to court to get them out. If you are | | | | check these with the report to tell how honest |
| on a tight budget this can sink your ship. | | | | they are. Many times a potential tenant will |
| The best defense is a good offense: Tenant | | | | mislead you on their renting history, credit history, |
| background check or screening | | | | and criminal history so it is best to check them |
| Do not wait for bad things to happen when you | | | | out thoroughly yourself. |
| are renting out a property. Always do a tenant | | | | These simple steps can save you a lot of |
| background check or screening before you rent | | | | headache and possibly your property. Now go |
| to anyone. Do not just take their word for it or | | | | rent the DVD Pacific Heights, pop some popcorn |
| their references, these can easily be made up. | | | | and enjoy a movie. |
| What you want to do is have a robust tenant | | | | |